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Original poster

Neighbours builders

84 replies

drdeluxe · 19/02/2019 10:24

Neighbours embarking on 4 month extension. So far the builders have done the following:

  • spent two weekends, Sat & Sun (starting at 9am, erecting scaffolding).
  • now have radio on playing loudly (so I can hear inside double glazed house)

Owners of house have moved out for the duration of project so I will need to email them if I want to raise it with them.

Which of these, if any, would you email about? In a diplomatic way?

I have let the builders can park in our private parking area (which we own) as our road is narrow. So its not as if I haven't been accomodating.

OP posts:
PalmTree101 · 19/02/2019 10:56

Oh come on OP don’t be a moaning myrtle keyboard warrior.

For the first infraction (radio) it won’t kill you to chuck on a smile and go round and ask politely for the radio to be turned down as it’s disturbing you.

If you’re worried about ‘retaliation’ then emailing isn’t going to help as they will still know a neighbour complained!

Seeline · 19/02/2019 10:56

The more the builders are able to just get on with things, the quicker they will be finished.
Scaffolding is normally a specialist firm, not the actual builders. It is common for them to do small domestic jobs at the weekend, whilst doing major construction sites during the week. Are the actual builders working at the weekend? You can check the planning permission on your council website to see if there are any conditions restricting hours. If they are breaching those hours, you could report them, but personally I would prefer a shorter construction period.
Speak to the builders about the radio.

flumpybear · 19/02/2019 11:00

I think you're being s but unfair - weekend working would be in their local rules which you can check, is there a project manager perhaps you can mention the music radio etc to but are you just being a bit of a pain yourself wanting zero noise ? There's often background noise in homes from the pit side?
Saying this as neighbour to a 30 luxury apartments build going up to my neighbouring fence so I am used to massive cranes, 15-20 plus builders, all sorts of loading and unloading and weekend work too - yes it's a bit inconvenient but it's transient

Skittlesandbeer · 19/02/2019 11:01

You sound a bit like my mum. She was grumbling to me that her next door neighbours had a tradesman on their roof looking for leaks, and she was bothered by hearing them at 11am.

I’ve had 2 solid years of demolition/rebuilding next door to me. Every day, from 7am to 4pm. Loud horrible ‘music’ with the kind of lyrics that mean kids here have to be kept indoors. So much dust I haven’t been able to hang clothes outside, ever. Tradesmen peeing up against our fence, causing a constant fragrance of urinal. Loud swearing and misogynistic retelling of weekend escapades, so much so we packed away our outdoor setting for 2 whole summers. No point in trying to eat outside, or gardening. Tradesmen bringing dogs, then tying them up to howl all day. Electric sawing of bricks and tiles, right next to my kitchen window, for 8 hours at a time. The owners couldn’t care less about any problems for neighbours. We’ve been patient, communicative, understanding, reasonable. Price of living in the suburbs, and all that. It’s been like a war zone.

I’d swap with you anytime. If this is the worst that comes your way, fall on your knees with gratitude!

JacquesHammer · 19/02/2019 11:02

I'm not very keen to speak to the builders about it

Which do you think will elicit a more favourable response?

A pleasant, friendly "hi, would you mind turning your radio down a bit please"

Or builders getting a call from your neighbours to say you've complained about them?

DishingOutDone · 19/02/2019 11:02

I asked my neighbour's builder if he could move his van slightly, very nicely, as everyone is suggesting here, and he went apeshit, walked off the site and told my neighbour he'd never been spoken to like that in his life. As my neighbour hadn't been there to witness it, he took the builder's word and we went into a 5 year dispute them coming round to threaten us, parking wars, kids not allowed to play with each other and so on.

Then the neighbours over the back had work done, the work itself was OK but the radio was going from 8 till 4 for 6 MONTHS. Stupidly we didn't say anything and then fuck me once all that ended they complained when we got a puppy.

So I'd e-mail the neighbours and say you are worried about weekend working and could they ask the builders not to have the radio blaring out all the time. Seems the simplest and most open way - don't talk to the builders, they are not your contractors (unless they block your access or do something dangerous that affects you in which case an e-mail is for after the event)

RiverTam · 19/02/2019 11:06

having had the house next door to me have extensive work on it by 2 different owners in fairly quick succession I would start as you mean to go on (it will almost certainly overrun). Fucks me off no ends that owners can cause no end of disruption to their neighbours while they get to live elsewhere - the neighbours have months of disruption and stress, whilst they get a spangly new extension and barely a nod to the problems they've caused.

Is there a building manager? If so, get his details and direct everything to that person. If they know you mean business and you expect them to be considerate and you will pull them up every time they're not, they'll be more considerate. If you just roll over they'll take advantage. That was my experience anyway.

fruitbrewhaha · 19/02/2019 11:07

I'm not very keen to speak to the builders about it.

The last time I asked some builders not to do something (park in our parking space) they blocked my drive with their van.

So they moved out of your parking space and then parked in behind you? They need to park somewhere. If you needed to drive your car again, you just had to ask them to shift out of the way. Or did you sit inside the house in a huff because they were parked behind you?

Original poster
drdeluxe · 19/02/2019 11:09

They are doing the project management themselves. :(

OP posts:
Original poster
drdeluxe · 19/02/2019 11:11

There were plenty of other places they could have parked, including the driveway of the property they were working on.

OP posts:
JacquesHammer · 19/02/2019 11:15

Is it the same firm of builders?

Ohnonotuagain · 19/02/2019 11:16

Which of these, if any, would you email about? In a diplomatic way?

Neither. Erection and striking of scaffolding at the weekend wouldn't bother me. I'd speak directly to the builders if the radio really is that loud that you can hear it inside your house, emailing would make it a bigger deal than it needs to be.

fruitbrewhaha · 19/02/2019 11:16

I see, yeah, could be construed as being offensive. Or perhaps they were keeping the drive clear for a delivery?

Hard to say really, but these are different people so don't assume they are going to be difficult. Builders will tend to have music on as they work and normally it's really loud because of using machinery. I'd pop around and ask in the first instance.

CoolJule43 · 19/02/2019 11:18

I'm another who would kindly ask the builders to reduce the volume on the radio. Otherwise I don't see anything else they are doing is wrong, including weekend working.

I probably wouldn't like it but, without weekend working, it would be going on for a lot longer than 4 months.

RiverTam · 19/02/2019 11:18

Then email the owners, OP. Every time. Then they know that you are not a doormat who will put up with inconsiderate behaviour from them that they are lucky enough not to have to experience themselves.

RiverTam · 19/02/2019 11:19

Sunday working is usually not allowed, but the OP can check on that.

IWannaSeeHowItEnds · 19/02/2019 11:20

You have every right to not let them park on your property if they are pissing you off. But do far they don't seem to be doing anything massively unreasonable.

Original poster
drdeluxe · 19/02/2019 11:51

I did check the council website about permitted building hours but it doesn't give any guidance. The only thing you can do is make an online complaint which doesn't seem warranted in this case.

OP posts:
Original poster
drdeluxe · 19/02/2019 11:54

Yes they are different builders so I agree they might be more reasonable, especially as they know I have specifically said its ok to use the parking space this time.

OP posts:
TrixieFranklin · 19/02/2019 11:54

It sounds like you're looking for things to complain about. If their radio is too loud surely you want it turned down right away, not to let them keep it blaring all day and then send an email which may take a few days to be picked up and passed onto them.

It's either bothering you enough to ask them to please keep it down, or it's not.

DarlingNikita · 19/02/2019 11:56

What is your council that doesn't give info about permitted building hours? Confused I find it hard to believe that.

PrivacyPolicyYeahRight · 19/02/2019 11:57

Honestly I really do believe that this will be a losing battle OP. I’ve had builders do work at weekends when they are catching up. It is by nature a noisy messy job, whether there is music or not.

I totally sympathise though. My neighbours are also having an extension done over the summer. I have the summer off work and have just had my garden made beautiful. I will not feel comfortable in my garden with them overlooking me, playing music, making a shit tonne of noise. I’m hugely pissed off but my neighbours are lovely and I am going to have to grit my teeth and get on with it. Angry

Bigheadache · 19/02/2019 12:00

Call the council - they'll tell you their permitted building hours. Ours doesn't advertise it on their website either because "it doesn't mean people can do what they want between those hours if it's causing a nuisance"

fruitbrewhaha · 19/02/2019 12:03

I get where you are coming from. If it's normally peaceful at home, it's quite a difference to have clanking, banging and music going on. Scaffolders are noisey, by definition of what they are doing but they also seem to be the lairiest of the trades, I guess as they work as a team and shout out as they throw stuff up to each other. But they are done until the end now.

As for the rest I think it will get easier, you'll get used to it. Then when they are all done, it will be eerily quiet.

Bluntness100 · 19/02/2019 12:03

You're really making a drama out of this. Just ask them to turn the radio down a bit, it really shouldn't be s big deal. And personally I'd have no issue with scaffolding going up at the weekend.